Canada’s Immigrant Intake To Reach 350,000 In 2021

The minister of immigration, Ahmed Hussen said that by the year 2021, Canada would expect over 350,000 immigrants into the country, which is about 1% of Canada’s entire population. This implies that the number accepted this year would be increased by 40,000 in 2021. This information was given as one of the updated plans given by the government as its multi-year immigration plan to cover for three more years.

Most immigrants will come in through the platform of economic programs that have been created to address the issue of highly skilled workers in the nation’s labour market. The minister of immigration spoke passionately on the need for economic immigration to regions of the country that lacks workers and have more elderly citizens.

The Rising Need for Skilled Workers

The Federal Government Economic Advisory Council of Canada, other economic groups and many immigration advocates have called out for the admission of more immigrants into the country in a bid to increase the population of available workforce.

In 2016, Canada’s Economic Advisory Council had suggested that the number of immigrants admitted should increase to 450,000. Hussen, however, said that the Government is highly calculated in its approach to the presiding problem, as it keeps in mind the need for these migrants to be given proper settlement services especially in terms of housing. He further stated that the increase is an intentionally gradual one so as to enable everyone that might be affected to adjust comfortably to the immigration system, the local immigration partnership, and even the communities. He said that a sudden shift to 450,000 is not the best and that the wisest approach is to build up to that number.

However, the United Nation’s Refugee’s High Commissioner has requested that nations around the world should take in more number of refugees as the number of individuals displaced from their homes had risen to 68.5 million people last year. In response to this, Canada’s family reunification, humanitarian and sponsorship programs have planned to raise the number of refugees and it admits from 43,000 to 51,700 in 2021. 72% of the immigrants admitted in 2021 will be on the basis of economic programs.

Hussen also said that Canada has now exported its program to the private sector, allowing them to sponsor refugees to countries that did not offer such programs before. He mentioned that he is fully aware of the need to help refugees and that he is putting in his best to increase the number of refugees to be admitted. Finances have been set aside to sponsor 1000 vulnerable female refugees to the country.